Mobile services were suspended in many parts of the country on the occasion of Ashura (9 and 10 Muharram – 28 and 29 July) as authorities tried to avoid any untoward incident.
The Interior Ministry in Islamabad has asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to suspend mobile services not only on 9 and 10 Muharram but also on 11 Muharram.
On 9 Muharram, mobile service will be suspended from 1 pm to 10 pm in Sectors G6 and G7. The service will remain closed in Sector 10-I and adjoining areas from 6 PM to 6 PM on the same day.
On 11 Muharram, mobile phone service will be closed in Shahullah Dutta from 2 am to 7 pm. Noorpur Shahan/Bari Imam area will also be closed from 12 noon to 7 pm.
Sources of the provincial home department told JEE News that mobile service will remain suspended in 14 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 9 and 10 Muharram.
The areas where services will remain suspended include Saddar, Pushtakhara, Hasan Ghari, Inner City Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Kohat, Hangu and Bannu. The block will remain till 10 pm.
In Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, the local authorities have decided to keep mobile services off on 9th and 10th of Muharram to avoid unpleasant situations.
The Additional Chief Secretary added that the provincial government has already imposed a ban on double riding from 1st Muharram to 12th Muharram in Quetta Division (meaning this ban will remain in place till 31st July).
The PTA had also announced that mobile service will remain partially suspended in some areas of Karachi till 10 Muharram (July 29). But they remained blocked on 8th Muharram and are expected to remain suspended on 9th Muharram.
Double riding has been banned on Ashura in Lahore and Sindh.
Moreover, landline and cable net services will continue uninterrupted.
